Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
DECEMBER 2015
PAGE 1
NEWSLETTER
Australian Army CH-47D Chinook on the deck of HMAS Canberra during First of Class Flight Trials in Jervis Bay. The trial was conducted by AMAFTU with support from ARDU and 5 Aviation Regiment during October 2015.
Message from the President
Welcome to the December 2015 newsletter for the Flight Test Society of Australia. I am sorry that we haven’t had much contact with you since the last symposium. Rest assured that, despite the silence, we have been very busy behind the scenes
revamping and modernising the FTSA. This has included updating our business processes and compliance requirements, and providing a mailbox that someone actually checks. So on behalf of those that still use ‘snail mail’ I would to thank our Vice President, Claude Daniel, and Nova Systems for providing the mailbox service.
However, the biggest project has been to create a viable new website that uses up-to-date software and is fully documented so that it can be maintained and upgraded as required. I would like to thank John O’Halloran (JOH), our new webmaster, for his efforts in this regard. I will let John update you on the site, which we will be launching at the same time as the newsletter, but I can say that there is now a member’s forum area where, at the very least, we can stay in touch with each other. JOH will moderate the forum as well as
FLIGHT TEST SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2015
PAGE 2
being webmaster so I would like to put in a plea on his behalf for content for the website - it can only be as good and as relevant as the content provided by the members.
Finally, I can announce that next year’s symposium will be held at Sydney University on the Tuesday the 23rd and Wednesday the 24th of February. The symposium will be jointly hosted by the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. I would like to thank K.C. Wong for organising the venue and I look forward to a couple of interesting presentations from his side of the house. With that in mind if you wish to present at the symposium can I ask that you send a synopsis to our secretary, Ron Haack who is collating the presentation material. Regards and safe flying. Richard Woodward President
2016 Annual Symposium Ron Haack, Secretary 23rd – 24th February 2016, Sydney University
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are in the planning phase for the 2016 Annual FTSA Symposium to be held at Sydney University, 23rd – 24th February 2016 and I seek your attention to either prepare a paper for presentation at the symposium, or to encourage colleagues within your network to similarly contribute. As you are aware, the symposium is our opportunity to establish and promote our profile as T&E practitioners in both the professional and public domains. Papers should cover topics that are technically interesting, introduce innovative test or analysis techniques or tools, expose safety related events or concepts and provide lessons to further enhance the way we work. We have time for at least eight presentations. The Committee will consider financial assistance for Presenters to attend if the case is strong enough. Please forward abstracts to the Secretary at [email protected] by 18th January 2016.
Also, in the next month, FTSA members will
receive an email with additional details on the symposium and inviting members to register attendance.
Membership Subscriptions Patrick Bridge, Membership Member
As of 1st November 2015, membership subscriptions were due (with exception of our four lifetime members). Normally the request for renewal would have been sent out in late October by email; however, the committee decided to align it with the publication of the newsletter (so to inform members that the society is still alive and the committee has been busy since the symposium earlier this year at Avalon).
Subscription renewal details for 2016 are: Amount: A$50 Account: Flight Test Society of Australia Account #: 314565 BSB: 032-691
*Please include your name in the comments box when you do the bank transfer and send an email advising payment to [email protected] In the near future, membership payment will be handled through the website, but until we have this set up, we request payment via bank transfer. Also, at the next AGM, scheduled for 23rd February, the committee intends to propose that the ‘membership year’ be aligned with the Australian tax year. As a consequence, all financial members will have their 2016 subscription extended until 30th June 2017.
FTSA Website John O’Halloran, Webmaster
In the 21st century we communicate primarily
electronically, with extensive use of the internet. The Society’s website is an important component of our communication but has had limited effectiveness for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we are a volunteer organisation and despite best of intentions, things such as family and work have higher priorities. I’ll attempt to address this by taking on the role of Webmaster.
Secondly, the website was professionally created a few years ago, but has had little development or ongoing management since. The website’s software had not been kept up to date, which introduced significant limitations for us to move forward. So I elected to start from scratch
FLIGHT TEST SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2015
PAGE 3
and although the result is not quite as polished as the old one, it will end up with much more functionality, the most important being member interactivity. Initially this will be limited to member only access, but we are also developing a member forum/discussion area.
The site requires your input to remain relevant. Input about what you want out of it but more importantly we require content supplied by the members. This can range from social reports and photos of our gatherings for public view to technical reports and papers with restricted access. As a start Milt is gathering some historical material and Lindsay Ward has provided a large amount of symposium material. I’ll provide updates as I sort through and publish the info. Please forward contributions to [email protected]
The restricted member access required changing the membership database software. During the development of this new database some of you received emails with login credentials. This was not supposed to happen, my apologies. The database is now up and running but will most likely need your updates as contact details change. When you renew your membership you will receive login credentials. On the first login you’ll be presented with you profile page and we request you update the contact details.
There’s a lot happening in the background, a little patience please but we do welcome your feedback and suggestions. Please check out the new site now http://www.ftsa.org.au/
ADF Symposia & DJ Knights Dinner FLTLT Scott Plumb, FTE, ARDU
The 2015 Australian Defence Force Flight Test Symposium was held on the 5th and 6th of November 2015 at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia. The event was attended by 75 personnel from both Defence and Industry flight test agencies, and covered a great mix of military flight test topics. The presentations included talks on:
• the establishment of a new test and evaluation organisational construct for Air Force, known as the Air Warfare Centre
• First of Class Flight Trials of the MH-60R Romeo on the ANZAC Class; and the Multi-
Role Helicopter (MRH90) and S-70B-2 Seahawk on the Canberra Class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD)
• the future of F-35A operational test and evaluation in the US, and the plan for the transition to Australia
• new Defence Aviation Safety and Operational Airworthiness regulations for flight test
• non-intrusive instrumentation options for flight test applications
• KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aerial refuelling clearances of Australian and US receiver aircraft
• considerations for test flying amateur built experimental category aircraft
• developmental testing and air loads trials on the C-130J Hercules
The event was a great success, highlighting the
importance of continued networking and information sharing between flight test agencies in Australia.
Following the symposium, the annual Derek John Knights Memorial Dinner was held on the Friday evening at The Playford in Adelaide. The dinner, held each year to celebrate the achievements of the ADF flight test community and also commemorate the loss of Squadron Leader Derek John Knights, the first Australian test pilot killed in the line of duty, during a test flight of a Bell UH-1B Iroquois on August 19th 1981. The dinner was a great event where flight testers, past and present, got together and celebrated the achievements of the group during the past year and also remembered the tragic loss of a fellow flight tester.
2015 DJ Knights Award Recipients. From left: ‘Pig-of-the-year’ - FLTLT Jacob Gardner, Sir James Rowland Prize for Excellence in Engineering Design - Mr Jean-Pierre Patacca, DJ Knights Memorial Trophy - SQNLDR Paul Bowes.
FLIGHT TEST SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2015
PAGE 4
These events are a significant milestone on the annual calendar for Defence Flight Test. The next Australian Defence Force Flight Test symposium and Derek John Knights Memorial Dinner are tentatively scheduled for the 3rd and 4th of November 2016. Interested parties should contact the Aircraft Research and Development Unit at: [email protected]
Right: 2015 DJ Knights Memorial Dinner Guests
Recent ADF Flight Test A snapshot of a few recent trials
Air-to-air refuelling (AAR) trials were conducted between a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT)
and an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft for the first time during the test campaign, 1-13 June 2015. The KC-30A utilised its 17-metre-long Aerial Refuelling Boom System, which is capable of offloading fuel at up to 4500 litres per minute. During the trials, a total of seven sorties were flown by each aircraft, during which they conducted 118 'dry' contacts with the KC-30A's refuelling boom, and six 'wet' contacts, with a 20 tonnes of fuel being transferred. The trials were conducted under the direction of the ARDU, and will allow a significant increase in mission range and endurance for the Wedgetail. E7A QTP – SQNLDR Paul Bowes. Photo FLTLT Drew Abbott, FTE.
FLIGHT TEST SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2015
PAGE 5
A RAAF KC-30A MRTT has completed successful refuelling trials with the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Operating from Edwards Air Force Base in the California desert, the RAAF KC-30A flew 12 sorties with a USAF F-35A during the period 23 September to 26 October. The RAAF crew made a total of 479 ‘dry’ and 24 ‘wet’ contacts with the refuelling receptacle on the F-35A, and transferred more than 95 tonnes of fuel over the course of the trial. A single KC-30A can carry a fuel load of more than 100 tonnes and remain 1800 kilometres from its home base with 50 tonnes of fuel available for offload, for four hours. The trail involved crews 33 Sqn, ARDU, Aerospace Systems Engineering Sqn and the USAF Test Centre.
The first landing of an Australian Army S-70A-9 Black Hawk on the deck of a Canberra-class landing helicopter dock, HMAS Canberra in Sydney Harbour. The landing was part of the First of Class Flight Trials conducted by AMAFTU and supported by ARDU in April and May 2015. The trial developed ship operating clearances for MRH-90, MH-60B Sea Hawk and S-70A-9 Black Hawk helicopters. The Black Hawk trial was flown by MAJ Patrick Bridge (QTP) with MAJ Darren Russell (FTE) and as the flight test lead.
